Gas regulator



Aug. 31 1926.

A. L. PICKERING GAS REGULATOR 'iled May 2 I 1924 an! im?) Patented Aug. 31, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,598,445? PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR L. IPICKERING, OF ANDERSON,'INDIA1-TA;

FORREST IM. PICKERING, ADMINIS- TRATOR F SAID ARTHUR L. PICKERING, DECEASI'JD, ASSIGNOR TO ECONOMY GOV- ERNOR COMPANY, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA, A

CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

GAS REGULATOR.

Application iled May 2,

It is the object of my invention to provide a gas regulator in which the opportunities for leakage are reduced to a minimum both in respect to leakage from the gas main into the gas regulator when the valve is closed and in respect to leakage from the interior of the gas regulator to the outer air. A further object of my invention is to provide in such a gas regulator for the ready removal of the valve seat in order that it may be cleaned. A further object or" my invention yis to provide a meanstor supplying the valve leather of the regulator with oil or other liquid which will prevent its becoming dry and hard.

I accomplish the above objects by a novel method of pivotally mounting the lever which operatively connects the diaphragm of the gas regulator with the Valve, by forming the valve seat in a plug or bushing which is screw threaded into the wall ot the regulator and at its outer end is adapted to receive a pipe from the gas main, and I provide a su ply of oil or other liquid which may e gradually ted to the valve leather in order to prevent its drying and becoming hard.

The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention: Fig. 1 is a plan view Of an ,assembled gas regulator embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 showing the valve partially open; Fig. 3 is a iragmental section on an enlarged scaleshowing details oi t-he valve'and means for supplying the valve leather with oil; Fig. l is a perspective View of the valve with the valve leather and oil-feeding wicks in place; Fig. 5 is a perspective of the valve with thevalve leather and wicks removed; .and Fig. '6 `is a View of the mold in which my gasregulator is cast showing the lnovel manner in which the lever is mounted.

vMy gas regulator comprises a casing 10, a cover 11 for such casing, a diaphragm 12 separating the casing trom the cover, a valve 13, land a lever 14 by which movements of the diaphragm are ltransmitted to the valve so that when pressure in the casing rea-ches or exceeds a predetermined value the valve 13 is closed. The diaphragm 12 is clamped between two disks ot metal 15 and 1G by means of the screw 16. To adjust the regulator to vary the pressure at which the valve V13 closes, I provide a screw 17, in a 1924. Serial No. 710,684.

boss 18 on the cover 11, and I interpose between the lower end of this screw and the diaphragm a coil spring 19. To prevent tampering with the adjusting' screw 17, I preter to provide a cap 2() which screws in place on the boss 18 and prevents ready access to the adjusting .screw 17. rIhe space within the cover 11 communicates with the atmosphere through a longitudinal hole in the screw 17 and a small hole in the cap 20. At a point in the casing displaced from the conter of the diaphragm 12, I mount a valve plug or bushing 25. At its outer end this bushing is provided with screw threads for the reception of the pipe 26 leading from the gas main. At its inner end, the valve plug is formed with a central upstanding portion 27 which forms the valve seat, and surrounding this valve seat but spaced therefrom is a vertically extending annular flange 28.

The valve 13 is in the form of an inverted cup having a plurality of (preferably 3 or more) depending legs 29. In the bottom ot the cup I cut one or more diamctrically eX- tending grooves 30 and at each end of each groove 30 I provide a slot 31 which entends from the bottom of the groove to the edge ot the cup-flange. In each groove, I lay piece of string 32, long enough to extend outwardly through the .slots 31. The valve leather 33 tits tightly within the valve 13 and holds the strings 32 in position. i Then the valve 13 is in place on the valve seat 27, theends of the strings v32 hang down into the annular space between the valve seat 27 and the iange'28. lWhen this space is iilled with oil, the string-ends serve as wicks which continually feed a small amount `oiE oil to the'valve leather 33, thus keeping such valve leather always sott and pliable.

The valve 13 is operatively connected to the diaphragm 12 by means oi the pivoted lever 111-. To this end, the disk 15 is provided with a downwardly extending ear 15 which, near its lower end, is Vprovidedwith a hole for the reception ot the end ot' the lever le which is preferably made cylindrical for this purpose. rIhe cylindrical end oi the lever 14 lits loosely in the hole through the ear 15. The lever 111 is provided with two oppositely located, alined t'runnionsv 1&1', each of which passes into a boss on the casing 10. To mount-the lever 14 in this manner, it is supported in the mold in which the casing 10 is east in the manner shown in Fig. 6. 'Ihe trunnions 14 having been machined, the lever 14 is supported in the core 40 which is suitably recessed to receive the lever. Each trunnion 14 projects outwardly Afrom within the core into a depression 41 in the side walls otthe core, and when the mold is poured the molten iron lills these depressions 41 to form the bosses in the casingl 10. Betere the mold is poured, the trunnions 14 are coated with any suitable preparation which will prevent their adhering to the metal ot the casing 10. I have found a suitable preparation for this purpose to be a mixture oi graphite and core-wash. By this method ot casting the casing 10 around the lever 14, the lever 14 is pivotally mounted without any necessity tor holes through the casing which might prove sources ot gas-leakage.

My gas regulator operates in the same manner as similar gas regulators. The pressure in the main is communicated to the interior ot the casing 10 and is normally insutlicient to raise the diaphragm high enough to close the valve 13. Under this condition, the gas flows regularly through the pipe 26 into the interior of the casing l() and out through the outlet pipe Should the pressure in the main increase, such increase is communicated to the interior ot the casing 10, the diaphragm is raised, and the valve 13 closed.

By making the valve seat 27 integral with the bushing 25, I eliminate the possibility ot leakage of' high-pressure gas into the interior ot the regulator when the valve is closed, while still permitting ready removal of the valve seat for the purpose ot cleaning it. By the novel method of mounting the lever 14, which requires no holes through the casing, I eliminate the possibility of leakage from the casing which would otherwise exist.

I claim as my invention:

1. A fluid pressure regulator, comprising a casing, a pressure responsive element, a bushing in the wall of said casing, said bushing having a valve seat at its inner end and being adapted at its outer end for connection to an inlet pipe, a valve co -operating with said valve seat, means supported independently of said bushing for operatively connecting said valve and said pressure responsive element, said bushing having a lubricant reservoir located below said valve seat, and said valve having one or more rigid legs which extend downward into said lubricant reservoir.

2. A fluid pressure regulator, comprising a casing, a pressure-responsive element, a valve seat, a valve (zo-operating with said valve seat, means for operatively connecting said valve and said pressure-responsive element, and a lubricant reservoir located below said valve seat, said valve being provided with one or more rigid legs which extend downward into said lubricant reservoir.

3. In a fluid pressure regulator having a casing adapted to rece-ive inlet and outlet pipes, a pressure responsive element, and a valve for said inlet pipe; a lever tor operatively connecting said pressure responsive eleinent and said valve, said lever having an integral laterally projecting trunnion which enters and is rotatably supported by a circular recess in said casing, such recess torming abearing for said trunnion both above and below the trunnion axis, the outer end ot such recess being closed by material integral with that of the casing, and the wall ot said casing opposite said recess being imperforate and formed entirely of material ot which the remainder of the casing is formed.

4. In a tluid pressure regulator having a casing adapted to receive inlet and outlet pipes, a pressure responsive' element, and a valve tor said inlet pipe; a lever for operatively connecting said pressure responsive element and said valve, said lever having rigid with it two alined trunnions which enter and are rotatably supported by circular recesses in said casing, such recesses forming a bearing for said trunnions both above and below their common axis, the outer ends ot both said recesses being closed by material integral with that of the casing.

5. In atluid pressure regulator, a valve seat, a valve, said valve including a valveleather which co-operates with said valve seat, a liquid reservoir, and one or more wicks in contact with said valve leather and extending into said liquid reservoir...

6. fluid pressure regulator, comprising a. casing, a pressure responsive element, a bushing in the wall ot said casing, said bushing having a valve seat at its inner end and being adapted at its outer end tor connection to an inlet pipe, a valve, said valve including a valveleather which co-operates with said valve-seat, a liquid reservoir in said bushing, one or more wicks in contact with said valve leather and extending into said liquid reservoir, and means tor operatively connecting said valve and said pressure responsive element.

7. In a gas regulator having a cast metal casing, a pressureresponsive element, a valve; a lever tor operatively connecting said valve and said prcassure-responsive element, said lever having a laterally projecting trunnion which is pivotally supported in said casing in a recess 'formed in said casing by said trunnion during the casting ot said casing.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 30th day ot April, A. D., one thousand nine hundred and twenty four.

ARTI-rua L. rrcKnRrNe. 

